Velocipede



(No Model.) 2.SheetsSheet '1. J. W, & O. F. POST.

- VVBLOGIPEDE. No. 285,513. Patented Sept. 25, 1883.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (No Model.)

J- W. 8v 0. P. POST.

VELOGIPEDE.

Patented Sept. 25, 1883.

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can STATES ATENT Erica.

JOHN POST AND CHARLES F. POST, OF NEW' YORK, Y.

VELOCIPEDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 285,513, datedSeptember 25, 1883. i

Application filed June 13, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, J OHN W. Posr and CHARLES F. Posr, citizens of theUnited States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and Stateof New 'York, have invented certain new and-useful Improvements inVelocipedes, of which the following isa specifi= cation, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings.

Our invention relates to that class of velocipedes adapted to carryseveral persons, and as it will accommodate some who can ride aspassengers, while others drive the machine, it may very properlybetermed a family velocipede.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like letters refer to similarparts in the diffent figures, Figure 1 is a perspective view of avelocipede constructed according to our invention. Fig. 2 is a sectionalview of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail of the steering mechanism. Fig. 4is a sectional detail of the hub. of one of the driving-wheels and aportion of a clutch-lever for assisting in the propulsion; of themachine; and Fig. 5 is aperspective detail, showing the means forattaching the saddles to the frame.

A A indicate the driving or traction wheels, to the hubs or shafts ofwhich are secured cranks A provided with treadles A which are or may beof ordinary construction. The driving-wheels A are connected by and havebearings in a frame, B, to which are secured horizontal projections B,affording pivotal bearings for a vertical rod or shaft, E, havingrigidly secured to its lower end a slotted arm, E, and to its upper enda steering-arm, E The pin (1 of the arm D is arranged in the slot thespring f and the post F.

of the arm E", thus making a loose connection a series of recesses,formed in a segmental or semicircular projecting portion, B of the frameB, over which said pin may be placed. By means of the knob e the pin 6may be raised from the recess in which it is held by the spring e, whenthe arm E will be free to be turned in any desired direction to steerthe vehicle. Owing to the above-described connections between the arm Eand the post D, the wheel D will be turned, so as to cause thevehiclento incline to the right or left, according as the arm is movedto the right or the left. In other words, the vehicle will be steered inthe direction in which the arm E dental to reversemovements.

* To accommodate the passengers aseat, F, is

arranged above the wheel D. Theback of said seat preferably consists ofa bent rod, f,

- the extremities of which are formed into hooks f, engaging pins fon-the frame B. A hollow post, Fflrigidly secured to the seat F, fitsover a hollow rod, B made, fast to the frame B, the spindle D of thepost D projecting upward within the hollow rod B Beneath the post F",and surrounding the rod B is a spiral spring, f said spring bearing atits lower end on the frame B. A washer, f",which is loose on the rod Bis preferably arranged between Said washer may, however, be dispensedwith, if desired, in which case the spring f will bear directly againstthe post F.

It is obvious that the construction justabove described will constitutean elastic or spring support for the seat F, which can swingonthe pins fas pivots as it rises and falls under the influence of the jar of themoving vehicle.

The seat F supports a smaller seat, G, the latter being arranged aboveand partly in front of the former. The seat G is intended to accommodatebut one person, who will thus be placed between the two persons for whomthe vention.

seatF is provided. In the construction shown the seat G is supported bya hollow post or upright, g, secured to the seat F, into which a rod,9", secured to the seat G, extends.

The seat G, being supported by the seat F, will be rendered easy by thespring-supports of the latter. WVe do not, however, wish to confineourselves to the precise construction herein shown and described forsupporting and arranging these seats, as such construction may be variedconsiderably without departing from the spirit of this part of our in-For example, two or more springsupports may be provided for the seat F,and the seat G may be connected with the seat F by two or more supports,or it may be sustained by a cross-bar secured to the frame B, in whichcase it will preferably have elastic or spring connections with suchcross-bar.

By arranging the passenger-seats one above the other, or at differentlevels or elevations, as just above described, it is obvious thatgreater compactness is obtained, enabling a larger number of passengersto be comfortably accommodated within the same space measuredhorizontally than would be possible if the seats were all on one level.

In order to assist in the propulsion of the vehicles when ascendingsteep grades, one or more clutch-levers, H, arranged within easy reachof the passengers, are provided. In the form shown these levers areconstructed with annular portions H surrounding the hubs J of thewheelA.XVithin wedge-shaped recesses 71, formed in the levers H, are arrangedballs h, this construction affordinga clutch-connection with the hubs Jwhen the levers are moved in one direction, while permitting their freemovement on said hubs when moved in the opposite direction, in awell-known manner. Instead of this clutchconnection, pawl and ratchetconstructions might be employed for operatively connecting theseassisting-levers with the drivingwheels. Then not in use, theassisting-1e. vers are supported by pins h on the frame B, or in anyother suitable manner.

The seats F and G are so attached that they may be easily removed fromthe vehicle when desired. The seat'G can be removed by lifting it fromits support in the seat F, and the latter can be raised, and thenquickly unhooked from the pins f, by which it ,is attached to the frameB. The removal of the seats will, of course, lighten the vehicle whenonly the persons who occupy the saddles O are to ride. The saddles O areelastically supported by spring-rods c, adjustably secured to the frameB in front of said saddles, said spring-rods being preferably merely theopposite ends of a single rod bent around beneath each saddle, thusconstituting the frame to which canvas, leather, or perforatedsheet-metal may be secured to form a proper seat. By securing thespring-rodsc to the frame B in front of the saddles the space beneaththe latter is left entirely unobstructed, so that the saddles need onlyto be raised a sufficient distance above that portion of thesupporting-frameB directly over the wheels to enable said saddles tohave a proper vertical play during the movement of the vehicle. I11other words, by securing the spring-rods to the frame B in front of thesaddles'the springs usually placed under the saddles and between thelatter and the supporting-frame are dispensed with, thus permitting thesaddles to be placed directly over and closer to the wheels than ispossible with the constructions heretofore usually employed. Theset-screws 0 which serve to fasten the spring-rods c to the frame B, maybe loosened when it is desired to adjust the saddles backward orforward, after which the screws will again be tightened to secure thesaddles. Thus the latter may be quickly and easily adjusted to suit theriders.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent 1. The combination of the driving-wheels A,steering-wheel D, frame B, saddles G, seats F and G, and means forelastically supporting said seats on said frame, substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination of the frame 'B, the steering-wheel D, the post D,pivoted in said frame and provided with the arm D having pin d, the rodE, having the slotted arm E" and steering-arm E", and means for securingthe steering-arm in any position to which it may be adjusted,substantially as described.

3. The combination of the frame B, steering-wheel D, the post D, pivotedin said frame and provided with the arm D having pin d, the rod E,having slotted arm E and steeringarm E the spring 0, the pin 0, havingknob 6 and the segmental projection B provided with a series of recessesadapted to receive said pin, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, in a velocipede, of a plurality of driving-wheels, aframe connecting said wheels and provided with pins, and a seat forpassengers having hooks, whereby said seat may be removably attached tosaid .frame, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the driving-wheels A, of the frame B, the seatF, removably attached to said frame, and the seat G, removably attachedto the seat F, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the driving-wheels A, of the frame B, providedwith the rod B and pins f and the seat F, having the hollow post F andthe back rod, f, formed at its ends into hooksf, adapted to engage thepins f, substantially as described.

7. The combination, with the frame B and the seat F, removably securedthereto and provided with the hollow post 9 of the seat G, having therod 9 adapted to enter said post, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with the frame B and ICC saddles O, of thespring-rods e, secured to said passengers for assisting in thepropulsion of frame in front of said saddle, and the setthe vehicle,substantially as described. screws 0, for securing said rods whenproperly In testimony whereof we affix our signatures adjusted,substantially as described. in presence of two witnesses. 5 9. Thecombination in a velocipede of a plurality of traction or drivingwheels, a seat fpgi r for passengers, and one or more assisting-levershaving clutch or equivalent connections, as Vitnesses:

described, with the hubs of said wheels, and W. M. GLEDHILL, IOconveniently arranged to be operated by the N. L. DAVISON.

